Ship propulsion means



New. 24, 1942. v w. NOBLE 5:11P PROPULSION MEANS Filed Nov. 14, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ,arzgen Jvfo ble N0v..24, 1942. w, NQBLE 2,302,795

SHIP PROPULSION MEANS Filed Nov. 14, 1941 2 shets-shee; 2

WW M bl Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHIPPROPULSION MEANS Warren Noble, Washington, D. 0.

Application November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,202

10 Claims.

In ships of a recently developed type, wherein propulsion assemblies orunits are mounted in wells projecting upwardly from the ships bottom,dificulties have arisen because of the relatively great draft of theships, caused by the disposition of the propellers below their bottoms.With ships of the type shown in my prior application Serial No. 338,667,the propellers, positioned below the bottom of the ship, increase thedraft thereof by an amount in excess of the diameters of the propellers,as compared with similar hulls having no propellers below their bottoms.In commercial ships of this type the propellers are often in excess ofsix feet in diameter. the ships bottom is a highly desirable feature fornormal operation of the ship at sea, where water of adequate depth isavailable, but when navigating in harbors and rivers, and particularlywhen docking, the excess draft created by the propellers is a distinctdisadvantage and, in fact, makes it impossible to bring the ships intocertain ports and to make them fast to certain docks.

The present invention aims to eliminate these difficulties and to enablethe ship to navigate in,

shallow water.

The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide means, ina ship of the class described, for reducing the draft of the vesselwhenever it is desired to maneuver in shallow water, yet withoutsacrificing the advantages inherent in the use of propellers mountedbelow the ships bottom, as distinguished from propellers mounted abovethe keel line at the stern, in accordance with conventional practice.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for raising apropeller at least partially into a well projecting upwardly from theships bottom and to provide means making it possible to use thepropeller in its raised position as a means for driving the ship.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for operating amarine propeller alternately as a fully submerged propeller below the,

blades thereof may project below the ships bottom only to the desireddepth and operate after Positioning of the propellers below the mannerof a surface propeller, dipping into the surface of the water in thewell maintained at said lowered level.

A further object of the invention is to increase the buoyancy of shipsof the type having one or more wells projecting upwardly from theirbottoms, in which propulsion units are mounted. To this end, theinvention provides means for sealing the upper ends of the wells and forintroducing air into their interiors under sufficient pressure to lowerthe level of the water in the wells, thereby increasing the buoyancy ofthe ships by an amount corresponding to the weight of the waterdisplaced.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing description of an embodiment of the invention shown somewhatdiagrammatically in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical view, partly in section and partly in elevation,through a well and propulsion unit in a ship of the type referred toabove,

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 3 is a plan view.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFigures 1 and 2, and

Figure 5 is a similar, fragmentary view taken on line 5--5 of Figures 1and 2.

The ships bottom, represented diagrammatically at H], has an opening lltherein, to the margins of which a well I2 is secured, as by welding. Asshown in Figure 4, the well preferably is generally triangular inhorizontal section, with arcuate side walls I3, I 4 and a similararcuate rear wall 16. If desired, the arrangementmay be reversed, andthe wall l6 disposed forwardly of the ship and the pointed end I! of thewell disposed aft, depending on the normal direction of rotation of thepropeller, hereinafter referred to.

The upper end of the well is closed by a removable cover 28, secured inplace by any appropriate means and preferably provided with a sealingasket 2|, to provide a substantially airtight connection with the well.The cover 20 may carry a suitable prime mover, diagrammaticallyindicated at 22 and including a housing 23 for reduction gears,reversing gears, a clutch and other conventional devices, not shown.

A marine propulsion unit, comprising an upper casing 25, is mounted forvertical adjustment in the Well. The casing 25 carries at its lower enda stream ined housing 26 for a propeller shaft 21, a drive shaft 28 andgears 29, 33. Adjacent the rear, at the enlarged end of the wellopposite the wall it, there is a marine propeller 35, mounted on the endof the shaft 21, appropriate bearings and packing gland being providedfor the shaft.

The lower end wall 36 of the upper casing 25, or the upper end of thehousing 25, carrying a plurality of upwardly projecting, non-rotatablescrews, such as the three screws 31, 38, 39, disposed in nuts 40, 4|, 42carried by the lower ends of tubular sleeves 43, 44, 45, which extenddownwardly through the upper wall 46 of the upper casing 25 and arerotatably supported by the cover 20. Packing means 41 establish asubstantially air and water-tight connection between the sleeves and theend wall 46 of the upper casing, while similar packings 48 seal thesleeves with respect to the cover 251.

The upper ends of the sleeves 4-3-45v carry sprockets i 5!, 52 aboutwhich a chain 53 is trained, The chain is similarly connected to. asprocket 54 having a gear 55 associated therewith, in mesh with a worm56 and adapted to be rotated by a handle 57!. Hence, when the crankhandle 51 is operated, the sleeves 43, 44, 45 will be rotated in unisonby the chain 53, to raise or lower the propulsion unit in the well,according to the direction of rotation.

The drive shaft 28 preferably has a telescopic connection with an upperdrive shaft section 28, the latter being supported by and connected tothe casing 23 associated with the prime mover, to receive power from thelatter.

Means are provided for locking the marine propulsion unit against thewalls of the well, in any desired position of vertical adjustment.Although any equivalent construction may be employed, a simple andefiicient arrangement is shown in the accompanying drawings. A verticalbar 60, having a plurality of inclined, stepped, wedge surfaces 6! iswelded to the walls of the well, preferably at the pointed end i":thereof, between the edges of the walls I 3, hi. A vertically movablewedge bar 62, disposed opposite the inner face of the bar 60', carries aplurality of rollers 63 in engagement with the inclined faces 6!thereof. The innerface 64 of the wedge bar 62 is disposed opposite to avertical surface or track 55 associated with the upper casing section25. At its lower end, the bar 62 is guided within a loop or strap 66,carried by the lower end of the bar 653, while at its upper end the bar62 is connected to a piston rod 61 associated with a piston fi mountedin a cylinder 69, carried by the upper end of the well. Fluid underpressure from a suitable source, controlled by conventional valve means,may be introduced into either end of the cylinder 69 by conduits iii, H,to urge the piston 68 upwardly or downwardly, as desired. Downwardmovement of the piston causes the rollers 53 to ride downwardly on theinclined surfaces El, thereby forcing the bar 62 against the track 65carried by the upper casing 25 and wedging the casing against the wallP5 of the well and locking the propulsion unit in place, against thethrust of the propeller.

Of course, the wedging or locking means may be changed or reversed inposition, if desired, so that it operates to wedge the propulsion unitin the opposite direction toward the pointed end I1, against the walls[3, 14 of the well.

Air or other gas under pressure from any suitable source may bedelivered into the interior of the well, to lower the level of the watertherein to any desired point, for instance, substantially to the levelof the ships bottom Ii), For instance, a motor compressor unit 15,supported upon a deck 15 and provided with a line 11 leading through acoupling 18 may deliver air to the interior of the well adjacent theupper end thereof.

It will be understood that the well, at its wider end, is sufficientlylarge to permit the propeller 35 to rotate when disposed therein, asshown in Figure 2. When in this position and with the Water level in thewell substantially at the bottom thereof, the: major portion of thepropeller opcrates in air in the well, while the tips 36' of the bladesdip into the surface of the Water in the well and project slightly belowthe ships bottom, thereby operating as a surface propeller. This slightprojection of the blades below the ships bottom will provide sufficientpropulsive force to-maneuverthe ship: in shallow water and when docking.

Of course, the propulsion unit and propeller may be positioned lowerthan shown, so long as the major portion of the propeller inthe welloperates inair instead of in water. If the, well were substantially fullof water, which would be the caseif the water stood at the same level asthe-water outside. of the ships hull, the propeller could not operatewith any degree of efficiency, since it would be immersed in the waterin the well and the water would be projected by the propeller directlyagainst the walls of the well. The turbulence in the well in such a casewould be so great. as to make the structure substantially inoperative.By operating the major portion of the propeller in the well in air,however, the propeller functions as a surface propeller and sufficientpropulsive effect can be derivedtherefrom to maneuver the shipsatisfactorily.

It will be understood that, when deep water is reached, the wedge bar62" will be raised, to release the propulsion unit, the sleeves 43-45will be rotated to lower the unit to the position shown in Figure 1, andthe wedge bar will again be forced downwardly to lock the unit firmly inplace. The propeller in this position, will operate efficiently belowthe ships bottom as a fully submerged propeller. The air pressure in thewell maybe maintained, if desired, to keep the well substantially freeof water, thereby increasing the buoyancy of the ship by an amountcorresponding to the weight of the water displaced.

It must be understood that the invention is not limited to the detailsof construction shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, asmany modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, froma consideration of the foregoing. description. The invention includesall changes coming. within. the scope of the appended claims and theirequivalents.

I claim:

1. Ship propulsion means comprising, in combination, a well projectingupwardly from the ships bottom, power transmission means mounted. forvertical adjustment in the Well, a propeller carried by saidtransmission means and normally positioned for rotation below the shipsbottom, means for raising the power transmission means-and saidpropeller into the well to a position where only a portion of thepropeller projects below the shipsbottom upon rotation of the propellerin the Well. and means for'lower ing the level of the water in the wellbelow the water level outside of the ship.

2. Ship propulsion means comprising, incombination, a well projectingupwardly from the ships bottom, power transmission means mounted forvertical adjustment in the well, a propeller carried by saidtransmission means and normally positioned for rotation below the shipsbottom, means for raising the power transmission means and saidpropeller into the well to a position where only a portion of thepropeller projects below the ships bottom upon rotation of the propellerin the well, and means for subjecting the water in the well to airpressure in excess of atmospheric air pressure, thereby to lower thelevel of the water in the well substantially to the level of the shipsbottom, whereby the major portion of the propeller in the well operatesin air.

3. Ship propulsion means comprising, in combination, a closed,substantially air-tight Well projecting upwardly from and openingdownwardly through the ships bottom, power transmission means mountedfor vertical adjustment in the well, a propeller carrier by said powertransmission means and normally positioned for rotation below the shipsbottom, means for raising said means and said propeller to a positionwhere only a portion of the propeller projects below the ships bottomupon rotation of the propeller in the well, and means for introducingair under pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure into the well toforce water therein downwardly through the open bottom of the well tolower the water level in the well, whereby, when the propeller isrotated in the raised position,

the major portion thereof in the well operates in air.

4. Ship propulsion means comprising, in combination, a well projectingupwardly from the ships bottom and having its upper end substantiallyhermetically sealed, a casing mounted for vertical adjustment in thewell, a propeller carried by the casing for rotation below the shipsbottom or at least partially in the well, depending upon the verticaladjustment of the casing, and means for introducing air under pressurein excess of atmospheric pressure into the well to lower the water leveltherein, whereby a major portion of the propeller when in the well isdisposed above the water level therein and operates in air.

5. Ship propulsion means comprising, in combination, a substantiallyhermetically sealed well projecting into the interior of the ship fromthe ships bottom, a casing mounted for upward and downward adjustment inthe well, a propeller carried by the casing, power transmission means inthe casing for rotating the propeller, means for adjusting the elevationof the casing in the well between positions where the propeller rotatesentirely below the ships bottom and partially within the well, means forestablishing a thrust receiving connection between the casing and thewell in any adjusted position of the casing and for releasing saidconnection during adjustment of the casing, and means for introducinggas under pressure above atmospheric pressure into the well to lower thewater level therein, whereby the major portion of the propeller whenrotating in the well rotates in gas.

6. Ship propulsion means comprising, in combination, a well projectingupwardly from the ships bottom, a casing mounted for'vertical adjustmentin the well, a propeller carried by the casing and normally positionedfor rotation below the ships bottom, means for raising the casing andsaid propeller to a position Where only a portion of the propellerprojects below the ships bottom upon rotation of the propeller in thewell, means for establishing a wedging, propulsion thrust resistingconnection between the casing and the walls of the well in any adjustedposition and for releasing said connection during adjustment of thecasing, and means for raising the air pressure in the well to lower thelevel of the water therein substantially to the level of the shipsbottom, whereby the major portion of the propeller, when rotating in theWell, operates in air.

7. In a ship of the type wherein the ship is propelled by a marinepropulsion unit mounted in a Well projecting upwardly from the shipsbottom and including a downwardly projecting casing and a propellermounted for rotation thereon below the ships bottom, means for reducingthe draft of the ship for operation in shallow water, said meanscomprising means for raising said casing and said propeller for rotationof the propeller in the Well with only a portion thereof projectingbelow the ships bottom, and means for subjecting the water in the wellto air pressure in excess of atmospheric air pressure, thereby to lowerthe level of the water in the well substantially to the level of theships bottom, whereby the major portion of the propeller in the welloperates in air.

8. The combination with a ship having a well projecting upwardly fromits bottom and a propulsion unit mounted in the well and including apropeller supported for rotation therebelow, of means for closing theupper end of the well, thereby providing a substantially air-tight,enclosed chamber opening downwardly through the ships bottom, and meansfor introducing air under pressure into said chamber to lower the levelof the Water in the well, thereby to increase the buoyancy of the shipby an amount equivalent to the Weight of water displaced.

9. The combination with a well projecting upwardly from a ships bottomand a marine propulsion assembly including a casing in the well and apropeller carried thereby, of means for locking the casing against awall of the well, said means comprising fixed and movable membersdisposed between the well and casing and having cooperating wedgesurfaces, and means for moving the movable member to exert wedgingpressure upon the casing and to look the same against the wall of thewell.

10. The combination with a well projecting upwardly from a ships bottomand a marine propulsion assembly including a casing in the well and apropeller carried thereby, of means for locking the casing against awall of the well, said means comprising inclined wedge surfaces carriedby the well, a movable bar associated therewith, and means for movingthe bar to cause the same to be wedged against the casing, to lock thecasing against the wall of the well.

WARREN NOBLE.

